How To Tell If Your Migraine Is Really The Sign Of Something Much Worse

For some women, the throbbing pain of migraines is an uncomfortable reality of everyday life. In fact, 1.5 million women in Australia suffer from chronic migraines according to Headache Australia. But sometimes, your head pain can be a sign of something more serious.

One woman's story, reported in PEOPLEearlier this week, shows the importance of distinguishing between pain caused by a migraine and other sources.

Lee Broadway, a 42-year-old mother from North Carolina in the US, passed away suddenly on April 3 after experiencing what she described as the 'worst headache' of her life. It turned out to be a brain aneurysm, which is a weakness in a blood vessel in the brain which bulges and fills with blood.

The Mayo Clinic advises that if you experience a sudden, extremely severe headache that could be described as the 'worst headache of your life' then you should immediately call emergency services.

Samantha Harrington, M.D., backs up their advice, telling Allure that while the symptoms of a migraine and a brain aneurysm can be similar, the severity can differ, and the pain can come on more quickly.

“While migraines are hard to define, they’re generally what people think of as a classic headache,” says Samantha Harrington, M.D. “In contrast, a brain aneurysm is an actual bleed inside the brain.”